Senate Votes to Prevent US from Entering UN Arms Trade Treaty

The Senate passed an amendment to the budget that prevents the U.S. from entering into the UN Arms Trade Treaty, which seeks to regulate international arms sales. Although President Obama has insisted he would not vote for a treaty that in any way infringes on Americans’ Second Amendment rights, many have been skeptical considering that the Obama administration’s decision to participate in negotiating the ATT in the first place is a dramatic reversal of previous administrations’ positions on the issue. Moreover, dozens of U.S. Senators have been concerned with the ATT’s scope. Thus, passage of this measure marks a victory for the Second Amendment.

“We’re negotiating a treaty that cedes our authority to have trade agreements with our allies in terms of trading arms,” Sen. James Inhofe said. “This is probably the last time this year that you’ll be able to vote for your Second Amendment rights.”

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) offered an alternative amendment that clarified that under current U.S. law, treaties don’t trump the Constitution and that the United States should not agree to any arms treaty that violates the Second Amendment rights. His amendment passed by voice vote.